on clouds of cotton candy
by The Siege
Summary: Falling in love is a lot like flying: you take a leap of faith and hope to stay afloat. [ft fluff week; multiple pairings; rated T for language]
1. puppy (stingue)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** oh dear lord i am SO sorry. i can't apologize enough for my tardiness, and in the end this is all i came up with. i'm really sorry. i've been deliriously uninspired and i just don't know why! ugh. anywayy, for this one i just wanted plue as puppy and stingue brotp in the context of the twin paradox slayers crack theory (because i fucking LOVE it and i really do think it's possible in canon, i mean just look at all the shit Mashima's already managed to think up) sooo yeah. more focused on the nalu side of things, sorry gajevy fans, but i do have gajevy in store so don't worry. i will finish this!

 **disclaimer:** let it be known for the rest of this fic that i don't own anything you recognize. the copyright at the bottom's just for the plot and writing.

* * *

 _puppy_

"Rogue! Rogue, look! I got a puppy!"

The dark-haired boy frowned in confusion as he stared at the white creature dangling from his best friend's hands. "Sting, are you sure he's a puppy? He kinda looks like a…snowman…"

Sting rapidly shook his head and set the animal on the ground with a wide, toothy grin. "Nuh-uh! He's a doggy! Mommy said so. She said his name is Plue! We can play with him!"

"Puuuuun!" the animal exclaimed happily.

Rogue eyed it with suspicion. "If…you say so…"

"C'mon, let's play!" Sting grabbed the other boy's hand and yanked him along, calling for Plue to follow.

They played tag and wrestling and fetch, though Plue refused to chase after anything. They ran around the neighborhood, waving stick swords and slipping in mud, eventually making their way to the riverside.

"Aw man, we're all muddy!" Sting complained as he shook dirt off of his clothes. "Mommy's gonna be mad!"

Plue had turned a lovely shade of brown that was reminiscent of poop.

Rogue grimaced as he picked at his shirt. "And we're supposed to look all nice for the Fairy Tail party tonight."

Sting looked at the river and brightened with an idea. "Oh I know! Let's just wash up in the river! Then if we run, we'll be dry by the time we get home!"

Rogue thought about it and smiled. "You're right. Let's do that."

Before they could jump into the water, however, a loud bark caught their attention. There, across the street, was the biggest dog either boy had ever seen. It was a few inches taller than them and undoubtedly many times stronger. It bared its teeth and growled, tensing its muscles as it seemed to be preparing itself to charge straight at the boys.

Sting and Rogue froze in fear, unsure what to do.

"M-maybe we sh-should run," Sting suggested in a loud whisper, scared to make too much noise.

"Y-yeha, but I d-don't think I can m-move," Rogue whispered back out of the side of his mouth, afraid to move a muscle.

All of a sudden, Plue courageously jumped up onto his back feet and, trembling, stood in front of the two boys protectively with his front paws spread open. He hardly looked imposing, but both boys stared at him in shock.

The growling grew to snarling and the dog raced into action. Both boys shrieked and crouched, their hands covering their heads, eyes closed as they awaited their imminent death by dog.

Except it never came.

Instead, a loud yelp sounded, followed by painful whimpers, and both boys slowly opened their eyes to find the dog spasming on the ground, Plue's nose embedded deeply into the large dog's flank.

Sting and Rogue exchanged wide-eyed looks before shouting triumphantly.

"Wow, Plue, you're awesome!" Sting cheered.

"Thanks for saving us, Plue," Rogue said with awe.

"Man, I gotta go tell my parents! I bet they don't know how awesome Plue is!" Sting jumped forward and wrenched Plue out of the dog's side, ignoring the earsplitting wail, and said, "C'mon Rogue, let's go!"

With one last sympathetic glance towards the bleeding dog, Rogue nodded and took off after his best friend and their savior puppy.

* * *

"Mommy, Daddy, guess what!" Sting shouted excitedly as he burst into his backyard and ran straight to his parents, ignoring all of the family friends surrounding him. Plue bounded after him while Rogue went to search for his own parents.

His mother took one look at him and gasped in horror. "What the—Sting, what happened? You're covered in mud! And Plue's filthy too!" She crouched down in front of him and began dusting him off, muttering under her breath about fathers and sons.

"Aw c'mon Luce, it's ain't a big deal."

Lucy turned and glared at her pink-haired husband. "Just because you still destroy your clothes on a weekly basis doesn't mean it's not a big deal, Natsu."

Natsu smiled sheepishly, scratching his head before grinning at his son. "Hey bud! Got somethin' to tell us?"

Sting nodded hastily. "Uh-huh! So me and Rogue—"

"It's 'Rogue and I,' sweetie," Lucy corrected absently as she sifted her fingers through his dirty hair.

Her son gave her a strange look. "But Mommy, you weren't there. Anyway," he continued, ignoring his mother's exasperated sigh and his father's snicker, "we were playin' by the river and then this huuuuuuge doggy started barkin' at us from across the street! I wasn't scared or anything, 'course not, maybe Rogue was a little, I dunno"—at this, Natsu pumped his fist victoriously while Lucy rolled her eyes—"but before we could do anything, Plue stood up and protected us! He stabbed his pointy nose into the other dog and it just ran away! I never heard of a doggy that could stand on two legs! Plue's awesome! Isn't he awesome?" Sting beamed brightly at his parents, who only laughed and agreed with him.

"Sure is! Best damn dog to ever live," Natsu boasted proudly before yelping in pain when Lucy smacked his head. "Luuuuce!"

"Watch your language, mister, or I'll wash your mouth with soap again."

Sting laughed as his father gulped at the warning. It was always fun watching his mommy torture his daddy for being bad.

He felt a nudge on his back. Turning, he found Plue sitting and staring up at him. With a big smile, Sting hugged the dog tight and said, "Thanks for being the best puppy ever!"

* * *

© Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	2. together (nalu)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** man i am sooo so sorry. my deepest, humblest, sincerest apologies. i know it's literally been like forever but i swear i'm almost done for reals now. i just sort of completely forgot about fluff week because i was busying hanging out with friends before they left for summer classes and knitting presents for people. but no excuses. this is finally here and over the next few days i will be posting up the rest. probably 2 per day, just to get 'em up quickly but not all at once. alright, enjoy the fluff!

* * *

 _together_

"But Luuuuuuce," Natsu whined, "you said it's always more fun when we're together! So we have to do everything together!"

"No, we don't!" My face burned as I recalled the day I uttered those cheesy, completely cringe-worthy words. "Natsu, we're having a _girls' day_. Meaning we're probably gonna go shopping all day, and then a spa to get pampered and talk about girly things like clothes and makeup and _boys_. Do you really wanna sit through all that?"

He made a face but maintained, "More fun when we're together! C'mon Lucy, you know you'd rather hang out with me than the girls all day!"

I rolled my eyes. "I hang out with you, like, every day, Natsu. I need some girl time, okay?" He pouted adorably, making my heart squeeze, but I told myself to stay firm. "Hey, I'll see you when we get back, okay? We can hang out all day tomorrow, just you, me, and Happy. Okay?"

He grumbled but nodded. "Fiiiiiine. Later, Luce." He slunk off and I had to consciously stop myself from chasing him down and giving into his demands.

Everything I said was true, after all. I _did_ spend most of my time with him and I _really_ wanted to be with the girls for a day. And Natsu really _wouldn't_ enjoy being the only guy there. It was for his own good.

I sighed and shook my head before making my way to all the other girls who were waiting for me to finish convincing Natsu.

"Oh hey, Lu-chan! You done?" Levy asked perkily.

I nodded. "Yup! Had to give him all of tomorrow, but it's worth it."

"Pretty sure you don't mind being with Natsu _all_ the time, do you, Lu-chan?" Levy smirked at me and the other girls snickered.

I blushed hotly. "Oh stop Levy-chan! You don't want me talking to Gajeel, do you?"

She spluttered and I grinned victoriously.

"Alright, let us not waste any more time! We shall make the most of today!" Erza announced and we all agreed, setting off.

* * *

We shopped till we dropped. Luckily, the last mission had given me a bunch of extra jewels to buy some cute outfits. It was fun, being with the girls and fawning over clothes, playing dress-up in all the shops, but I felt myself longing for Natsu's silliness. It was nice to be able to relax but I'd gotten so used to shopping with Natsu and Happy that I half expected something to explode every five minutes; I found myself tensing up to run for it more often than not.

It was both tiring and enlightening: exactly how much time did I really spend with Natsu and Happy that it had become second nature for me to run away from disaster at any moment?

After, we found a spa to relax in. We got massages and had our nails done and my skin felt as smooth and silky as a baby's butt, but my eyes kept checking the time and my mind kept wandering to thoughts of Natsu. Was he lonely? Had he found something to occupy himself with? Was he making trouble? Levy noticed my absentmindedness and called me out on it.

"Lu-chan, do you have somewhere to be? We can cut this short and come back another day."

"Huh? Oh, no! No, I just…I don't know, I keep thinking that Natsu must be getting into all sorts of trouble without any of us there to restrain him," I confessed.

Her face broke into a knowing smirk. "Ahhhh, I see! So you've been worrying about Natsu all day! You shoulda said something, Lu-chan, we all understand if you'd rather spend time with your _partner_ than us." She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"It's not like that, Levy-chan, and you know it!" She just shrugged and I almost growled. "You know what, I think Gajeel and I need _do_ some bonding time. You won't mind if I steal him from you for a day, will you?"

"W-w-w-w-what do you mean, _steal_ him from me? He's not mine!" Levy stammered with a blush and I just smirked.

Erza cut in, "Lucy, if it is truly bothering you, we can leave now. We have spent most of the day together already and I'm sure none of us would mind too much." There was a chorus of agreement from the other girls.

"Oh no, I couldn't ask you girls to leave because of me! But I don't think I'm being very good company right now so I'm gonna go check on Natsu. I'll see you all tomorrow!"

I made to leave and was almost through the door when I heard Levy call out, "Use protection!" and a smattering of giggles.

Oh yes, Gajeel and I were going to have a _very_ long talk indeed.

* * *

I stepped into my apartment and surveyed the place. Nothing destroyed or messed up—Natsu and Happy must not have been by. For some reason, that hurt.

Sighing, I went to the kitchen to eat something and discovered that I had actually been eaten out of house and home even though I had just bought groceries the previous day.

I amended my thoughts: Natsu and Happy had _definitely_ been by.

Slamming the refrigerator shut, I stomped to my room and unsurprisingly found the two little devils snoring away on my bed. Rolling my eyes, I went to the bathroom to change into comfier clothes and when I returned, Natsu was slouched over and blinking sleepily.

"Mm, Luce? That you?"

"Hey Natsu. I'm home." I climbed onto my bed and sat next to him, thoughtlessly stroking Happy's fur. He purred under my hand and I smiled.

Natsu fell sideways and leaned against me, his head on my shoulder and his hair tickling my skin. "What're ya…doin' home? Thought you were…gonna be out longer…"

Gently, I leaned my head on top of his and closed my eyes. He hummed contentedly. "I was tired from worrying about you all day. And…everything really _is_ more fun when we're together."

He shifted his head and I felt his lips smile against my collarbone, far too close to my rapidly beating heart. "Hm. Told ya so."

* * *

Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	3. music (gajevy)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** song lyrics are from "I Knew I Loved You" by Savage Garden (love that song). the lyrics Gajeel "wrote" were found online. enjoy some cute modern day gajevy! they do end up together, OF COURSE. the rest is simply history. :D

* * *

 _music_

.

 _Maybe it's intuition  
But some things you just don't question_

.

He chewed on the cap of his pen with his pointy teeth, wearing away the color as he stared blankly at the lyrics he'd written.

 _You're like the lyrics to my favorite song  
You stick with me all day long  
And when I reach the end  
I wanna hear it again_

Groaning, he dropped the pen and slouched back against the chair, running a hand through his thick black hair. He would never admit it but he was—for lack of a better word— _lovesick._ Pining. Infatuated. Crushing on a girl so hard he literally—like, _literally_ literally—couldn't get her out of his head.

Jesus Christ, he was even writing sappy lyrics!

A lesser man would have broken down by now. Luckily, Gajeel was not a lesser man (actually he was, except not in public).

He'd hardly spoken five words to the girl, much less held a full-fledged conversation, yet here he was, head over fuckin' heels. He was going insane.

 _And I dun wanna be sane again,_ his brain added dreamily.

He internally slapped himself. Jesus Christ! He needed to talk to the girl and disillusion himself before he got any crazier.

.

 _Like in your eyes  
I see my future in an instant  
And there it goes  
I think I've found my best friend_

.

She was honestly the only reason he even went to the library. It wasn't like he read books or anything—oh no, banish the thought! But she seemed to love them, given that she was working in a library, so he dutifully sat at a study table for several hours a day, writing sentimental lyrics and sneaking peeks at her.

They'd only spoken a handful of times, like when she came by to clean up tables and asked if the books were his, or when he actually needed to find a book for class, or when she kindly reminded him that the library was closing in fifteen minutes. But he knew she was a gentle spirit with an inner fire that he was dying to see.

Because sometimes he watched her from across the library as she pushed a cart full of books and carefully shelved each volume. Sometimes he lifted his head and saw her standing stock still before a shelf, cart still half-full of books, staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed at an open book in her little hands, reading avidly. Sometimes he watched a patron startle her out of her reading reverie to ask for help, and she blushed and stuffed the book onto the cart and quickly led the patron away. And sometimes, when she returned, she rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, big eyes darting around before sneakily cracking open the book from before and reading as fast as she could.

And Gajeel could just see it, see the two of them sitting in a sunlit room with large, open windows and sunny drapes, snuggled together on a couch. He could see her reading quietly with a slight tilt to her lips and his head in her lap, napping the peaceful afternoon hours away. Or maybe he would listen with a smile to the sound of her voice—sweeter than any music he could create—reading out a passage from her book while he played with her hair and stared down at her like he ought to be yelling halle-fuckin'-lujah because she was an angel and she was _his_.

And that was when he usually had to shake himself out of the daydreams—because that's exactly what they were, daydreams—and remind himself that this was reality where he couldn't even pluck up the balls to say hi to her, let alone ask her out, and he always had to force himself to ignore the deep-seated ache in his chest.

Clearly he was being totally unrealistic. He didn't know the girl at all and he was sure she hardly knew he existed. He made an imposing figure but he always shrank around her, so she wouldn't notice him creeping on her.

And then he heard a chair being pulled out across from him.

He snapped back to attention and prepared to scare the crap out of whoever had dared to block his view of _her_ but then his eyes registered who it was and he gaped.

Because it _was_ her _._

"Hi," she greeted.

.

 _I know that it might sound more than  
A little crazy but I believe_

.

Suddenly he couldn't remember how to breathe.

"Hi," he choked out and he swore her answering smile was brighter than a thousand suns.

.

 _I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life_

.

* * *

Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	4. starlight (nalu)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** sorry y'all! short drabble is short. was not super inspired, but i do rather like the imagery in this. writing Natsu is hard. TT_TT

* * *

 _starlight_

He watches her, golden hair gleaming under the moonlight. Her eyes reflect the brilliance of the stars and for a second, he sees a vision of her glowing in the night, the dark, twinkling sky above curving down to her, pulled in by her gravity, just like he is.

He thinks she's weird and vain and silly, but there's no doubt that she is the most important person in his life. His best friend, or something similar, or something more. He thinks she's family, but not in the way he wants her to be, not yet.

He thinks she is all the stars in his night sky, the only one he can rely on to pull him out of the darkness he always feels swirling deep inside him. Maybe he doesn't understand the fire in his gut when he sees her smile, or the pain in his heart when he hears her laugh, or the heat in his blood when he feels her touch, or why her scent wrapped around him tells him he's home.

All he knows for sure is that right now, watching Lucy spin and laugh and trace her spirits in the stars, her smile tugging at his own, there is no other place he would rather be.

* * *

Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	5. always (miraxus)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** as expected, it was difficult to write miraxus, even though this was fluffy - or maybe because of it. either way, i do rather like this one; let me know what YOU think! i really love miraxus as a pairing (are they considered crack? well idc) and i think they would be totally sweet together. i was aiming for a soft and mellow mood with this one; how did i do? also, if you catch any errors, please do let me know! enjoy! sidenote: the word "always" now ALWAYS reminds me of Snape and Harry Potter ahahahaha

* * *

 _always_

"Hello, Laxus. Welcome back." Mirajane smiled sweetly at the lighting dragonslayer who inclined his head in acknowledgment but remained silent at the bar. "Would you like anything to drink?"

He shook his head and went back to staring into space. Mirajane giggled and he swiveled his head to face her.

He raised an eyebrow and she answered his silent question. "You have something to say, don't you? Go on."

He looked at her steadily, unwaveringly, but didn't speak. She shook her head and resolved to wait until he was ready.

Which took several more minutes.

But eventually, he spoke. "You forgave me too easily."

It didn't sound like a question, but Mirajane knew it was. She set down the cup she was polishing to meet his gaze head-on. She reads the remnants of guilt in the set of his mouth, the new humility in the matureness of his face.

"You came for us, at Tenrou Island."

He waited for more, but she returned to the cup on the counter. Growing frustrated, he grunted almost impatiently, "That was nothing. Not worth your forgiveness."

"But you came for us. Didn't you?"

"'Course. Had to. Couldn't have my best lackeys dying on me."

Mirajane had to smile at that. "That's not it and you know it. You came for us because you care. You still care for us, for Fairy Tail. You risked your life for ours. You saved us, Laxus."

He snorted. "The First did that."

"Alright, you tried. Because we are your family and we always will be. And we care for you too."

His hands twitched. "After all I did, how can you—"

She laid her hands over his, holding them firmly. There was a buried nakedness, a sort of desperation in his eyes, and she hated seeing it because it shouldn't be there. "It's all in the past now, Laxus. You're here now, and you're family, and we forgive you. And we love you. No matter what."

He pulled one hand out from under hers and slowly reached forward to her cheek, cupping it so softly she almost couldn't feel his touch. Like he was afraid to break her. She sighed contentedly and leaned into his hand, covering it with one of hers so he wouldn't pull away.

"You love me?"

She nodded slowly, nuzzling into his hand. "Of course, Laxus."

"Still?"

"I never stopped."

His thumb stroked over her cheek. "Always?"

She closed her eyes and hummed. "Always always always."

* * *

Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	6. count on me (jerza)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** jerza is bae. and needs to be canon, like yesteryear. OTL

* * *

 _count on me_

"What will you do now?"

Jellal looked at her and found her staring at him with a soft smile on her lips. His heart skipped—it had been years, or maybe lifetimes, since he'd last seen such a gentle look on her face. Directed towards _him_.

He didn't know how he could have possibly forgotten her and all her broken beauty, or how the darkness inside him could have possibly seduced him more than her trusting eyes. What he _did_ know was that there was no chance he could ever escape her in his dreams, his thoughts, his redemption ever again, and he was not about to complain.

"I suppose I'll travel with Crime Sorciere. There are still many dark guilds to take down and…well, maybe the next time I stand before you, I'll feel more worthy of your forgiveness." He smiled back at her.

She sighed, but didn't scold him. She knew, on a personal level, how difficult it was to forgive oneself. What Jellal truly needed was not anyone else's forgiveness, but simply his own. "I see. But you _will_ come back." It was not a question.

Jellal couldn't help the chuckle that left him. "But of course. I'm far too partial to Fairy Tail to stay away."

"We do tend to grow on people," Erza laughed. She turned to him with a determined smile and stuck her hand out. "Well then. Next time we meet, I expect to hear that Fiore has been rid completely of dark guilds."

He grasped her hand gently but firmly, resisting the urge to pull her into him and never let go. "Of course. You can count on me."

* * *

Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	7. i lived (gruvia)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** alright we're almost there, home stretch y'all! here's some super fluffy cheesy gruvia for you! I don't particularly like it, but i had no other des for this prompt. my lil bro helped me think of it! :D haha enjoy!

* * *

 _i lived_

D-Day.

Today was the day. He had been planning and gathering his courage for a week and today, he was finally going to do it.

He sucked in a deep breath, brushed his shirt before realizing it was missing, and, too wound up to worry about his lack of clothes, quickly grabbed the small bouquet before walking as calmly as he could to the guild.

Lucy was the first to notice him, since Juvia hadn't arrived yet. "Gray! Good morning! Is it happening today?"

Gulping, he nodded and she giggled at his frightened expression. "Do you think I'll survive?"

She rolled her eyes good-humoredly and patter him on the shoulder. "Of course you will. She might squeeze you unconscious but she won't kill you! You know she can't live without you." She winked.

Gray groaned. "Maybe I should ask Erza for some armor first."

"Maybe you should put on some clothes first," Lucy laughed. "Though, knowing Juvia, she won't mind."

The doors burst open and there she was in all her beautiful blue glory. "Gray-sama!" she squealed and immediately ran in his direction.

He panicked. "Quick, hide me!"

"Too late. Good luck!" Lucy patted him encouragingly once more and disappeared before Juvia could challenge her as a love rival yet again.

"Gray-sama! Was Love Rival flirting with Gray-sama again?" Juvia pouted as she threw her arms around Gray's naked torso and hugged him tightly. "She frowned when she noticed the flowers. "Gray-sama, who are those flowers for? Are they for Love Rival? Are you in love with Love Rival!? Noooooo!"

"Oh crap! Juvia, calm down before you flood the guild again!" Gray looked around for help but everyone else was too busy running to safe places to escape the salty flood. "Juvia, listen to me! The flowers aren't for Lucy! They're for you!"

The tears stopped instantly. "J-juvia?" she stammered, blushing and gasping at the bouquet like she'd never seen flowers before. "Gray-sama bought flowers for Juvia? Oh, Juvia is so grateful for Gray-sama! The flowers are so beautiful!"

Scratching the back of his neck shyly and looking away, face pink, he held out the flowers for her to take. He was too embarrassed to notice all their guild mates gaping at them from their hiding places. "They're called, uh, rain lilies. I just thought they were kinda fitting…"

She smiled at him and he was surprised yet again by the way his breath flew from his lungs and his words from his mind. She really was gorgeous, he'd always thought so, but he didn't think he could ever get used to feeling like she punched him in the gut every time she laughed or smiled.

It was difficult, liking someone.

"The flowers are so beautiful. And they smell wonderful!" She took a deep whiff, sighing happily. "Is it a special day, Gray-sama?"

He stared at her, slack-jawed and deaf to her words.

She frowned in concern and stepped closer, lifting a hand to his forehead. "Gray-sama? Is there something wrong?"

He jerked away from her touch. "Uh, I, uh, um, er, well I just, uh, y'see, I, uh, my, my, y'know, I— _my pants!_ Oh crap, where—dammit, this is _not_ what I planned to happen, I'm so sorry—but where are my stupid pants—"

The clothing in question flew into his face and he yanked it away, glaring around until he saw Lucy's unamused face. "Hurry up and confess already!" she mouthed aggressively. "Jeez!"

He swallowed and faced Juvia again. She was looking extremely confused, glancing back and forth between him and Lucy with increasing suspicion.

"Oh—no, Juvia, there's nothing—I don't like Lucy—I mean, I do, I love her because she's my friend, see, we're friends and I could never fall in love with her, I mean, haha, what even—"

"Gray-sama, is there something Gray-sama is trying to tell Juvia?" she interrupted, getting to the point quickly and making Gray internally groan. "Is Gray-sama trying to tell Juvia not to bother Love Rival anymore? If Gray-sama truly wishes it, Juvia will, of course, obey—"

"I'm in love with you!" he blurted and then slapped a hand over his mouth. There were simultaneous smacks on faces echoing from his guild mates scattered around the room and a groan or two. He thought he heard Elfman say almost disapprovingly, "It is manly to be blunt, but cutting her off was not manly at all"—though it was possible that was simply his imagination.

Juvia was on the verge of fainting. Her eyes practically bugged out of her head as she whispered, "Juvia must have misheard Gray-sama. Could Gray-sama…repeat what he just said?"

Was it really so unbelievable that he had actually fallen for her? Sure, he had not exactly been—emotionally available in the past few years, ready for a romantic relationship, but surely he hadn't made it seem as if there was no chance he would ever return her feelings?

Based on her reaction, perhaps he had.

He grimaced. He really was a jerk.

Pulling himself together, he mentally snapped himself and met her eyes directly, willing himself to be firm. He stepped closer to her and noted how she caught her breath. Slowly, his hand reached for her free one and grasped it tightly, feeling her fingers tremble. "Juvia. I am in love with you. I…I know, in the past, I have never been very clear with my feelings and I know I sometimes acted like I could never love you back but…I just wasn't ready. I had to face and accept my past completely and come to terms with my own guilt. And I finally have, thanks to you. You…have always been there for me, always accepted and loved me when I couldn't do the same myself. You saved me. And I am so thankful."

Juvia blinked and pulled out a shaky smile. "Juvia understands. Gray-sama is thanking Juvia but Gray-sama doesn't need to. Juvia will always help Gray-sama, even if he doesn't want or need it."

"No!" Eyes flashing, he tugged on her hand and pulled her into a hug, burying his face into her hair. His voice was low and muffled by her ear. "No, that's not what I meant. Juvia, I _am_ thankful, but I wasn't done. I was going to say that I didn't fall in love with you because you saved me. I fell in love with you because you're Juvia. You're so strong and beautiful and loving and forgiving and passionate and loyal and—and—and I just couldn't help falling for you. I love you, Juvia. Truly. Will you…will you be mine?"

She didn't respond for the longest time. Gray feared that she had suddenly realized how much of a jerk he'd been and was about to reject him, but then she flung her arms around his neck and squeezed the life out of him.

"Oh Gray-sama, of course Juvia will be his! Juvia loves Gray-sama so much! She can't believe he loves her back! Finally! Juvia has waited years for this day!" she sobbed loudly and happily.

"Ju…via…can't…breathe…" he somehow managed to choke out, feeling extremely light-headed. He was seriously about to pass out.

"Oh! Juvia is so sorry!" She pulled away and, beaming at him, planted a loud kiss on his unsuspecting lips before skipping off jovially. "Juvia must tell Gajeel-san! Juvia is so happy!"

Gray hacked and coughed, rubbing his throat. _Alright, I survived!_

A large shadow fell over him and he looked up to find Gajeel standing over him more menacingly than Gray had ever seen him, his spiky bat resting casually on one shoulder. His sharp teeth were stretched wide across his face and his eyes were feral.

"Gihihi. Now I gotta good reason to beat the shit outta ya, ice bastard."

 _Aw man._

* * *

Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	8. serendipity (nalu)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 _serendipity_

Lucy sighed again, dropping her head down onto her desk while chewing on her pen. Writing a book was simply too difficult. It was clearly an old form of torture that seduced gullible people like her into thinking she was creative enough to create something other people wanted to read. Lies, all lies!

She groaned again.

"What's wrong, Lucy? You keep makin' sad noises. Do you need to go to the bathroom or something?"

Something soft tickled her legs. She lifted her head to find him reclining against the side of her chair, his head leaned back into her lap and staring guilelessly up at her.

She flushed bright red and shoved his head gently off her thighs. "No, Natsu, I do not need to go to the bathroom!"

"Ow, jeez, what's got your panties in a twist?" He frowned and rubbed his head.

"Don't talk about my panties!" she screeched heatedly. "And I've got major writer's block and I have no idea what to do about it!"

"Writer's block? Whazzat?"

She heaved another sigh and dropped her pen before standing up and stretching. "It's when writers can't think of anything good to write no matter how hard they think because they're so utterly uninspired that they start to think all of their ideas are completely stupid and it's not worth it to write a stupid book! Ugh!" She flopped down face-first onto her bed, groaning and tearing up in frustration.

"Whoa there, Luce, slow down!" Natsu jumped on her bed and rolled her onto her back, dark eyes tracing over her scrunched up features. "What are you sayin'? You're a great writer, Lucy! Just 'cause you don't have any ideas now doesn't mean you won't have any later!"

A tear overflowed down her cheek as she turned her head to look directly at him. "You're right, Thanks, Natsu." She gifted him with a wobbly smile.

"Aw, don't cry, Luce." A warm hand brushed across her cheek and swiped away the tears. "You're awesome and don't you forget it."

She laughed shakily. "Now you're just flattering me."

He smiled at her crookedly and she wished her heart didn't jump at the sight. She realized his fingers were still against her face and blushed before sitting up and hastily rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry about that. I'm okay now."

"Good. So now ya can help me!" He beamed.

She blinked. "With what?"

He jumped off the bed and returned with a heavy book in his hands. Flipping open to a certain page, he shoved it into her face and said, "There, this word! I don't get it."

Belatedly, she realized he was holding her dictionary and vaguely wondered what he was doing with it. Taking the book from him, she smoothed the pages and read where he was pointing.

* * *

 **ser·en·dip·i·ty**  
/ˌserənˈdipədē/

 _noun_

the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.  
 _"a fortunate stroke of serendipity"_

 _synonyms_ : (happy) chance, (happy) accident, fluke; luck, good luck, good fortune, fortuity, providence; happy coincidence  
 _"the consequence of serendipity is sometimes a brilliant discovery"_

* * *

She looked up at him in confusion. "Serendipity? Why are you looking up this word?"

"Heard it somewhere, didn't know what it meant," he said quickly. "So what's it mean?"

"Well, it says right here. 'The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.' I think that's pretty clear."

Natsu rolled his eyes. "I know what it says, Lucy, but it just doesn't really make sense to me. Explain it to me in a way that I can understand."

She worried her lip. "Alright, let me think of an example. Hmm…Oh, I know!" She broke into a sunny smile. "The day we met!"

"Huh?"

"You know!" She looked at him pointedly but he just frowned so she rolled her eyes and clarified, "The day we met can be considered an act of serendipity."

He mulled it over before shaking his head. "Nope. Still dun get it."

Muttering under her breath, Lucy closed the book and tossed it behind her. "You remember how we met, right? You were looking for Salamander because you thought people were talking about Igneel and I was looking for a way to join Fairy Tail. Then the stuff with Bora happened and you saved me and brought me here. Remember?"

Natsu nodded enthusiastically. "'Course I remember! That was a good day! 'Cept for the boat. Yuck."

She smiled fondly as she recalled the events of that hectic day. "Mm, it was. Anyway, it was by coincidence that we were both in Hargeon that day and that we both got involved with Bora, right? It was coincidence that I wanted to join Fairy Tail and you just so happened to be part of it and you were kind enough to bring me here. It was all coincidence, but in the best way. Does that make sense?"

"I get it now! Like fate!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Well, sort of. Serendipity if coincidence but fate is more like…meant-to-be."

Natsu gave her a look that told her she was weird. "Well, then it was fate, not serendipity. Because me savin' ya and bringin' ya to Fairy Tail and bein' partners and everything, of course it was all meant to be."

She opened her mouth to reply, but found that there was nothing more to say. So she just smiled, feeling completely inspired.

* * *

Copyright 2015 by The Siege


	9. happy ever after (cappy&nalu)

**on clouds of cotton candy**

* * *

 **notes:** and we're finally here! i'll let you in on a little secret: this prompt was the first one i finished. it's been done for WEEKS, but i refuse to post out of order on ffnet so alas. but anyway, enjoy! it's short and sweet and not amazing, but i hope you like it all the same. i was gonna wait a few more hours before posting it but ahh what the hell. i'm impatient and i just wanna be done with this already so i can move onto nalu week! all my nalu week entries will be in the story "my answer is you" btw. :D thanks for reading! see you in the next one!

* * *

 _happy ever after_

Natsu and Lucy have been weird lately. Well, Lucy's always been weird but now Natsu's weird too. Lucy made Natsu weird! Is weirdness contagious? Oh no! What if I become weird? I should stay with Charle. And fish.

Mm…fish…I'm hungry. I wonder if Lucy has any more fish at home….

Oh yeah, Lucy! Well, she's always weird, but she's been _extra_ weird these days. She doesn't even get mad when I call her fat or dumb anymore! It's so _weird_. She just rolls her eyes and stares at Natsu, and then Natsu smiles stupidly at her and says, "What are you talking about, Happy? Luce is perfect." And then they keep smiling stupidly at each other and it feels weird so I have to leave before I catch their weirdness.

 _Weird_.

I don't even know what to do anymore! They're always staring at each other stupidly with that stupid smile, and it's like I don't even exist anymore! Even when we go on missions, I'm the only one talking because Natsu and Lucy don't really talk anymore, which is weird and _awkward_ and I don't understand, and they just smile and laugh together over nothing and I feel so left out.

It's like Natsu is all Lucy can see, and Lucy is all Natsu can see, and they don't even touch each other or anything, they just look at each other like they're staring at _perfection_ , and—

"Why are you sulking by yourself over here, Happy?"

I look up and pout at Mira, who smiles kindly down at me. "Lucy and Natsu are being really weird."

Mira glances at the pair in question and looks back at me in confusion. "Weird? How so? They seem pretty normal to me."

I slouch even further. Am I the only one who can see it? "They're—they're—well, I don't know how to explain it! But—but—but I feel left out when I'm with them because they don't pay any attention to me anymore!"

Mira looks up at them again and studies them for a few moments before a trace of amusement weaves itself into her smile. "Ah, I see. They're discovering their feelings for each other."

"Feelings?"

Mira nods. "Mm-hm. Happy, look at Natsu. Look at the way he's looking at Lucy." I do, and I frown at the goopy look on his face.

"He looks weird."

Mira giggles. "Maybe so, but did you know? That's the same face you have when you look at Charle."

"Really?"

My eyes seek out the Exceed of my affection and I feel an automatic grin spread across my face. Charle…she looks so pretty today as well. I wonder if I have any fish to give her? Fish…only Charle can have my fish.

"See?" Mira's voice interrupts my love-induced reverie. "You had the same face as Natsu right then."

"So…so you mean…" I gasp. "You mean that Lucy and Natsu actually _liiiiiiiiiiiiike_ each other!?"

Mira nods enthusiastically and I clap my paws together as I finally understand. "I get it now! Wow, I can't believe I didn't see it sooner! I guess they're both so weird and dense that I never expected it to happen! Thanks, Mira, I feel happy now! Do you have any fish I can give to Charle?"

I see, I see! So they're in _loooooooooooove_ , like I'm in _loooooooooooove_ with Charle! I'll have to tease them later, but first, fish!

* * *

Mira watches Happy fly off towards Charle, fish in hand, before looking back at her favorite couple. She can't help the squeal that escapes her, or the little victory dance that follows.

"Finally! My work here is done!"

* * *

© Copyright 2015 by The Siege


End file.
